Faculty investigators in the Department of Neurological Surgery at Indiana University School of Medicine lead more than 20 clinical trials that specialize in neurosurgical clinical research of various disease states, such as hydrocephalus, epilepsy, cancers of the brain, traumatic brain injury and brain aneurysms. Many of these trials are conducted in collaboration with research institutions across the country.
Clinical trials are research studies that involve people and are conducted to evaluate a new medical treatment, drug or medical device. They are designed to find new and improved ways to diagnose, treat or prevent different diseases. Researchers depend on patient volunteers to participate in clinical trials to determine whether a new drug or procedure is more effective compared to the current or standard method. Besides improving their own health, participants can make a life-saving difference in lives of others with similar conditions.